Abortion Policy/Anti-Abortion

Abortion Policy/Anti-Abortion: Background

Abortion regained prominence in political debate with the 2008 presidential election and remains a highly contentious topic. The historically fraught issue has become more politicized with both parties crafting their own rhetoric to appeal to parts of their base. Anti-abortion groups have targeted key congressional races across the country and provided financial support for Republican presidential candidates.

Controversies involving Planned Parenthood during the summer of 2015 that stemmed from a sting operation on the group by a conservative operative were the most recent impetus for the issue's re-appearance in the spotlight, and strong sentiments on both sides have continued to echo into the 2016 campaign. Republican presidential candidates such as Donald Trump have regularly advocated for abortion bans, while Democratic candidates like Hillary Clinton have frequently called for an increase in access through repealing the Hyde Amendment and additional funding for Planned Parenthood.

But anti-abortion groups suffered a major blow in June 2016 with the landmark Supreme Court decision in Whole Women's Health v. Hellerstedt. The 5-3 ruling struck down the Texas law that, through stringent requirements dealing with everything from doctors' hospital privileges to the width of hallways, forced the closure of approximately half of the state's abortion clinics. The regs were viewed by the court as putting an "undue burden" on women seeking to end their pregnancies, and the ruling called into question other existing and future abortion restrictions.

In this climate, political spending by anti-abortion groups has increased markedly since the 2008 cycle and is likely to continue to do so in 2016. The movement gave $3.3 million to candidates, parties, and political action committees during the 2014 elections. For the last few cycles, the Susan B. Anthony List overshadowed the National Pro-Life Alliance and emerged as a major political force, helping shape congressional and Senate races with endorsements and considerable outside spending. In 2014, the Susan B. Anthony List provided $2.1 million of the movement's $3.3 million in political gifts.

Contributions have become more polarized in recent years as well. In the 1990 cycle, 12 percent of anti-abortion groups' political donations to candidates and parties went to Democrats. During the 2014 elections, only 1 percent did. Yet public opinion has remained relatively steady since the 1990s, with a majority of the public saying that abortion should be legal in most or all cases, according to the Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project.

Lobbying by anti-abortion groups has trended upward since 2011, when it was at its lowest point in more than a decade. By 2015, spending by these groups to make themselves heard in Washington had crept up to more than $835,000, a level not seen since 2001.

-- Ashley Sorensen

Updated June 2016

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